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TKYPHENA ELY WHITE'S JOURNAL 



The Grafton Press of New York has printed 
from type two hundred and fifty copies of this book. 
This copy is No. 






Facsimile of the Title on Original Journal 



TRYPHENA ELY WHITE'S 
JOURNAL 



BEING A EECOED, WEITTEN 
ONE HUNDEED YEAES AGO, 
OF THE DAILY LIFE OF A 
YOUNG LADY OF PUEITAN 
HEEITAGE 



1805—1905 




PUBLISHED BY HER ONLY REMAINING GRANDDAUGHTER 

FANNY KELLOGG 



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TH c LIBRARY OF 

CONGRESS. 

Two Copies Received 

NOV 19 *9G4 
Copyright intry 

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COPY A. 



feiiai i---- ■'- 



Copyright 1904 

BY 

Fanny Kellogg 



INTRODUCTION 



INTRODUCTION" . 

This quaint diary of a well-bred young woman 
of twenty-one years, living in the central part of 
the State of New York, in pioneer days, shows 
in its touches of human nature, piety, aspiration, 
cheerfulness, sense of humor, appreciation of re- 
finement and other admirable traits of character, 
how much may be got out of life under circum- 
stances and conditions the plainest, most home- 
spun and least luxurious. 

The little book itself shows how limited were 
ways and means in those days. It was evidently 
constructed by her own hands, of paper that then 
must have been considered quite excellent, and 
there is to this day a sense of neatness about the 
book and the handwriting which a hundred years 
have failed to dim. 

Tryphena Ely White "received her birth" in 
West Springfield, Massachusetts, March 25, 1784. 
Her parents were Joseph and Sarah Leonard 
White, Sarah being the daughter of Deacon John 
and Ann Leonard of West Springfield. So runs 
the record. 

11 



Joseph White, who served in the War of the 
Kevolution, was sixth in descent from Elder John 
White of England. Elder John came to America 
in 1632 with Captain John Pierce of the good 
ship Lyon. His home in the new country was 
first in Cambridge, Mass., then in Hartford, Conn. 
Later he was one of the founders of Hadley, Mass. 

Our Tryphena bore the name of her father's 
mother, who was Tryphena Ely, fourth in the line 
from Nathaniel Ely of England, whose first home 
in America was also in Cambridge, Mass. This 
was in 1635. Nathaniel removed to Connecticut 
with the Eev. Thomas Hooker. His name, as well 
as that of Elder John White, is placed upon the 
monument in Hartford erected to the memory of 
the first settlers of that city. 

In 1654 Nathaniel Ely lived in Norwalk, Conn., 
but later he, too, returned to Massachusetts, set- 
tling at Springfield. 

At West Springfield lived his son, Samuel, and 
grandson, Samuel, whose daughter, Tryphena Ely, 
was the wife of Deacon Jonathan White, the father 
of Joseph, mentioned above as the husband of 
Sarah Leonard. 

These were some of the ancestors of our Try- 
phena Ely White. The names of others, familiar 
to New Englanders, were Cook, Mould, Mason, 
Cbit and Jenners, who intermarried with the 
White family, and those of Bedortha, Day, Lewis 
and Stebbins, on the Ely side. 

12 



In the Spring of 1805 Joseph White, then in 
his 55th year, matured plans for removing, with his 
family, from West Springfield, Mass., to the State 
of New York, Onondaga County, Town of Camil- 
lus. His first wife, Sarah (Leonard), the mother 
of his children, having died, he and Phebe Clapp 
of Easthampton (supposed Massachusetts) had 
married in 1791. She is the "mother" mentioned 
always so pleasantly in the Diary. She was a good 
woman — a kind and faithful wife to Joseph, who, 
in 1816, was made helpless by the falling of a tree 
which was being felled. He lived until 1830. 
Tryphena's brother, Harold, two years younger 
than herself, mentioned in the Diary, named his 
only daughter Phebe Clapp for his stepmother. 
Elijah was her brother also. Those who are fa- 
miliar with Genessee Street, where it runs west 
from Syracuse, will remember, about four and a 
half miles from the centre of the city, the Geddes 
place. It was here that "Squire Geddes" lived, 
and in his home that Joseph White and his family 
were entertained and spent the last night of the 
journey from their old home to the new. "Cooper's 
Street" of the Diary is now "Genessee Street," for- 
merly the old Genessee Turnpike. 

The Joseph White farm lies on Nine Mile Creek, 
two miles northwest of the Geddes place, now 
reached by well-made roads. But when Joseph White, 
with his little family, stock and household goods, 
started to travel the two miles that Spring morning, 

13 



so nearly a hundred years ago, it took him all day 
because there were no roads opened. We now pass 
in our journey hither the later home of Aaron 
White, brother of Joseph, to whose grandson, Jona- 
than B. White of Syracuse, there is much indebted- 
ness for many of these facts. Also to the memorials 
of Elder John White, published by Mr. Ally n S. 
Kellogg, and to Nathaniel Ely and his descendants, 
compiled by Mr. Herman Ely. 

The new home of which Tryphena writes was just 
across the present bridge, west of the creek, on the 
northerly side of the road, in the little hamlet later 
named Bellisle. Some rosebushes mark the garden 
spot, doubtless Tryphena's at a later date than that 
on which she writes. Standing upon the bridge we 
see the dam built by Mr. McCracken, and an abut- 
ment of the old mill built by Joseph White. 

Fanny Kellogg. 

Port Kent, New York, August, 1904. 



14 



THE JOUKNAL 



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Facsimile Page from tne original journal 



THE JOUKNAL 

June 15, 1805. — Saturday in the afternoon our 
building was raised. 

June 22. Saturday Elijah and I went over to 
Skaneateles, we set out about noon and arrived there 
a little before sundown, we went to Mr. N. Ell's first 
and staid there a little while, and then went on to 
N. Leonard's who lives a little beyond, and Elijah 
did his business with him. Mrs. Norton (Nor- 
mond's house keeper) got tea for us, and we staid 
till 9 o'clock, and then went back to Mr. Ell's and 
lodg'd, tho' Normond's people, Mrs. Norton and 
M, were very urgent to have us stay there, but we 
had engaged to go back, we lodg'd and eat break- 
fast at Mr. Ell's, and set out about ten o'clock to 
come back. Mr. Ell's people are very clever and 
agreeable, they have 2 daughters at home and one 
married, she who is married is the youngest of the 
three sisters, have two sons at home, and two at 
Whitestown, the girls were a mind to have me 
stay a week or a fortnight and make a long visit. 
Mrs. Norton likewise proposed to have Elijah go 

17 



home and leave me, for Kowland could bring me 
home any time, however I was not prepared to stay 
on account of cloaths, Normond says he is deter- 
mined to go to Springfield this fall and make a 
visit and bring up one of his sisters. Mrs. Nor- 
ton says I must come then and stay with her for 
she shall be so lonesome she wont know what to 
do. Kowland is attending Normond's store. 

23, Sunday. — We returned from Skaneateles, got 
home a little before night very tired, the roads are 
the worst that ever was here, nobody can 
have any idea how bad they are that never saw 
them, to go one mile here in a waggon is worse than 
to go 2 in a good road, but we expect to have bet- 
ter roads before summer is out. 

24, Monday. — In the forenoon I did housework 
and picked a mess of greens, while I was out pick- 
ing greens Polly hallo'd to me to come and help 
kill a rattlesnake. Mrs. Clarke was coming along 
out of the woods east of Mr. McCracken's and saw 
him but durst not tackle him alone, so Mrs. Clarke, 
Mr. McCracken, Mother, Harold, Polly and I, went 
out to kill him, but the old fellow shoved off and 
we could not find him. when we were coming home 
from Marcellus we saw a dead one lieing by the 
side of the path we stop'd and took off his rattles 
and bro't them home, after noon Polly and I 
went over the creek way into the woods to a spring 
of cold water, and bro't some home, we have no 
water to drink but the river water, that is very 

18 



cold and good for river water, we came home and 
rested us and after that we went over to see how the 
new house came on, they have got the roof done, 
and the building partly boarded up. it does not 
look as tho ? we should get into it this some 
time yet. after we got home from there, I went into 
the garden and wed out one parsnip bed, we have 
several men to work every day, they have begun 
the mill. 

25, Tuesday. — Did the housework and wed some 
in the garden. 

26, Wednesday. — Did housework and wed some 
in the garden, towards night I went down to the 
river with my hook and line to catch some trout 
but had no success. 

27, Thursday. — In the afternoon I went over 
to Mr. Reed's, after some butter, alone, got there, 
Mrs. Reed insisted upon my staying to supper, 
which I was loth to do, for fear of being late home 
and getting lost &c. but she said she would go part 
of the way with me, so I stay'd. she had for sup- 
per a good dish of tea, an excellent short cake, 
bak'd by the fire, and butter, ginger bread, and 
green gooseberries, stew'd as we do currents for 
sauce, which I think are better than currents. When 
I got home I found our little room filled with 
men, upon enquiry I found them to be the Com- 
missioners of highways, they had come to lay out 
some roads, the four Commissioners lodg'd in Mr. 
McCraeken's chamber. Polly and I, besides 6 men 

19 



slept up in our chamber, however we had our room 
partitioned off with a blanket. 

28, Friday morning. — We got breakfast for the 
four Commissioners besides our five hired men, the 
Commissioners were gone out all day, came back 
at night and lodged (we washed in creek water.) 

29, Saturday. — They went out a spell in the fore- 
noon, and compleated laying out six roads — 3 one 
side of the creek and 3 the other side, which all 
meet at the mill place where the bridge is going to 
be. The Commissioners are Esq. Carpenter, Esq. 
Munroe, a Mr. Tapping, and Mr. Lackings . 

30, Sunday, was a pleasant day we did not any 
of us go anywhere, to Meeting there was none 
near. 

July 1, Monday. — Mrs. M'Cracken had three 
visitors from Cooper's Street, they were Mrs. Meli- 
gan, and two Mrs. Wheatons, Mrs. Reed sent to 
have us come over there to day but we did not go 
on account of company. 

July 2, Tuesday. — In the afternoon Polly and I 
went- over to Mr. Reed's, we went about two o'clock 
and returned before dark, and had a very good 
visit, we had with our tea, biscuit and butter, gin- 
ger bread, goose berry pye, and sauce. She sent 
a little boy that lives with her, away off two or 
three miles after some, they don't grow very thick 
about us, but by going out a good ways we can get 
them. 

3, Wednesday Morning. — I got up about an hour 

20 



before sunrise, and went into the garden to weeding 
and stay'd till after sunrise, the sun is so hot that 
it is uncomfortable weeding any other time. We 
have three or four hands at work for us (a week or 
fortnight pass'd) from over in the street as they 
call it, but they expect to go home to-night to keep 
Independence. 

4, Thursday is Independence up here. The day 
was celebrated pretty generally in these parts I be- 
lieve, they had a ball up in the street, which is 
about two or three miles off, and quite a pretty col- 
lection, there were 14 ladies and nineteen gentle- 
men, some from Seneca river, and from other parts 
of this town and all about. 

Mrs. McCracken and Mother went over to Mr. 
Reed's to visiting, and Polly and I stayed home, 
we did not go to the ball. 

5, Friday, we washed in river water because we 
can't get rain water — there has been no rain here 
this three weeks past, and things have got to be 
very dry, we are obliged to cleanse our water before 
we can wash with it. we cleanse it by putting ashes 
into it and then boil it and skim off a scum that 
will rise, and after all that, it washes shockingly, 
our clothes don't look as they us'd to. 

6, Saturday — Our two remaining workmen went 
home to see their families, and expected to be gone 
several days, now we have no family but our own. 
I have got to be almost discouraged about getting 
into our house, there has been only one hand to 

21 



work at it, for some time; and it makes pretty- 
slow work, the other hands have all been getting 
and hewing timber for the mill, Saw mill. 

7, Sunday, our men all went over into Cooper's 
street after our cow, a week or a fortnight agone, 
our people bought a cow over in Cooper's street, 
and she went home to visiting Thursday or Friday, 
and has not returned, we het water and got out lye 
all the forenoon, in the afternoon we got the ket- 
tle on to make some soap, and brew'd, about the 
middle of the afternoon I went over to see Mrs. 
Eeed, she is not well, Polly has been there most 
all day, however I found Mrs. Reed able to be about 
house tho' not well. 

9, Tuesday, we got out lye and boil'd our soap 
all day, the soap does not seem to do well, I sup- 
pose tis owing to the water as we were obliged to 
make it of river water. 

Mr. McCracken went out with, his gun to hunt- 
ing a little before sundown he had not been gone 
long before he sent in to have Joseph come with a 
horse, and help him home with a deer, so all hands 
were alarmed to get the deer home, he shot him 
in a wheat field about half a mile from the house. 
Polly and I went out to see him before they bro't 
him home, he is a great Buck with velvet horns, 5 
prongs. 

10, Wednesday, about 11 o'clock Father came in 
with a rattle snake upon a stick, he had been out 
on the Parker lot to pick out some stick of tim- 

22 



ber for the mill, as he was going along with his 
head up, he heard the snake jump from where he 
was going to make his next step, he sprung back 
and call'd to the boys, who were not far from him, 
to come and see him, and help kill him. Father 
thinks he certainly should have stepped upon him 
if he, the snake, had not jump'd away, we saved his 
fat. We boiled our soap all day and 'tis poor stuff 
yet. 

12, Friday, we had considerable of a shower, 
which was very much wanted, for the ground was 
very much dried up, the day had been very warm 
and after the shower Polly and I went and set out 
in the space way, which is a space between the 
houses about three or four yards wide, it has a floor 
made of logs which are hew'd the upper side, so as 
to make them flat, there is no covering over head, 
so that the floor was damp, and I took a cold. 

13, Saturday, we washed in rain water, which 
we caught yesterday, or at least mother washed for 
I was so unwell that I did but very little. Saturday 
Mr. Buckley one of the carpenters returned from 
his visit, and Mr. Barton the joiner came two or 
three days ago. 

14, Sunday, Mrs. McCracken and I went over 
into Cooper's street to Meeting, as we knew there 
was to be preaching, Mother refused to go because 
it was so warm, and Polly went over to Mr. Beed's 
to stay with Mrs. Beed while their hired girl could 
go home and back again (she lives about three 

23 



miles off), so that Polly could not go. our two 
Methodists Mr. McCracken & Father went over on 
foot, Mrs. Mc and I rode, we met in a log house, 
which was very full and crowded with people, the 
preacher was a Methodist, he baptised an infant, 
he proceeded thus, took the child in his arms, and 
wet his hand and 3 times sprinkled it on the 
child's head three times repeating, the same that 
our ministers do, then returned it to its Mother 
and said, God bless the child and preserve it from 
the wrath to come, after meeting there were four 
people immers'd three men and one women. After 
the meeting was over they all repaired to the creek 
and there the ceremony was performed. Mrs. Mc. 
and I went up to see them dipp'd and since we 
were there it was nearer for us to go home thro' 
the other end of the street from which we came, we 
got home about dark. I did not feel very well in 
the morning when I went away but was a mind to 
go. When I got home I felt as tho' I never should 
go again, but I drank three or four cups of pea cof- 
fee (being very dry) for my supper and then went 
to bed. 

I forgot to mention that Mrs. Reed's sickness 
proved to be a slight turn of the fever and ague. 

15, Monday, nothing remarkable happened, only 
I had a hearty fit of laughing to hear Harold tell 
what a fright he had to day. he and John Frank- 
lin were at work in the woods a little way from 
our new house, as they were stepping round Har- 

24 



old trod upon something that seemed to bite him, 
he look'd down and behold! there lay the head of 
a rattle snake (as he supposed) and he had trod on 
his poison tooth, he made known his trouble to 
Franklin who was as much frightened as he was, 
his foot began to pain him terribly, and what to 
do they did not know, but John began to halloo to 
our people for assistance who were at the house, 
while he was halloing Harold mustered courage and 
thot he would go and take another look at the head. 
so he crawled along and upon further examination, 
found it to be the head of a mud turtle, the pain 
immediately ceased and all was well. !!!!!!!!! 

16, Thursday, Mrs. McCracken and Mother went 
over to Mr. Seed's to quilting, they went in the 
forenoon. 

17, Wednesday, in the afternoon Mr. Seed's 
Mother and wife were over at our house, and Mr. 
McCracken's on a visit. Mr. E's Mother was a 
widow and has married a Jerome, in Pompy, she 
was over to Mr. Seed's on a visit, and so came over 
to see us. 

18, Thursday, Polly and I went over to Mr. 
Seed's to quilting, we went in the morning by 
10. 

19, Friday, I washed out some muslins and 
fine cloaths which had lain a good while dirty, 
waiting for rain water, but tired of waiting I at 
last wash'd them in river water and made them 
look pretty well. 

25 



20, Saturday, we wash'd our family wash, we put 
it off till the latter part of the week in hopes of 
rain, we baked and brewed and ironed all our cloaths, 
we washed to day and the day before and starched 
all my muslins, towards sundown I went over to 
Mr. Keed's after some butter, when I got there, 
she could not let me have any, but she belived that 
Mrs. Hopkins would let me have some if I would 
go there, the sun was about setting then and I 
did not know what to do about going for fear of 
being benighted, it was a new road to me as I never 
had been there, but Mrs. E. said John (their little 
boy) might go with me thro' the woods into their 
clearing, so I got along over very well, when 
I got there Mrs. H. would have me go all over her 
garden and see everything she had in it. she said 
there was time enough for me to go home, and I 
need not be in a hurry, she supplyed me with but- 
ter. And gave me a posy of pinks and a handful of 
young onions for salad, and one cucumber, which 
was the only one she had big enough to pick. I 
thank'd her and beg'd permission to go, which was 
granted, so I scampered along through their corn- 
field, and cross'd the creek on a tree bridge and 
came through the woods, without much difficulty 
and got home about dark. Mrs. Hopkins lives in 
a pleasant place I think, the house stands on a 
rising spot of ground, and as you look down onto 
the low lands, and see the fields of wheat and corn 
growing so luxuriant, it looks beautifully. 
26 



21, Sunday, I went over to Mr. Lamberson's to 
meeting, there was no preaching, but Mr. Barton, 
our joiner, who is a Methodist carried on, and ex- 
horted and pray'd &c. I had for company, Father, 
Joseph M. David, Polly, Robert and Hiram, be- 
sides Harold, we went on foot right up across the 
woods, which made it nearer. Mrs. McCracken 
went around in the road, it was about a mile the 
way we went, and further round. 

22, Monday, we wash'd in river water, and iron'd 
besides baking. Monday night Mr. Hitchcock re- 
turned from his visit, he is one of the carpenters, 
now we have one joiner and two carpenters steady, 
besides John Franklin who is clearing land for us, 
he is clearing the flat down by the creek, between 
Mr. M's & our house. 

23, Tuesday, 

24, Wednesday, Polly and I went to make Mrs. 
Hopkins a visit, we calPd upon Mrs. Eeed as we 
went along, and she went with us. we found Mrs. 
H. on the bed, not well, she has been lame for some 
time, but her daughter who is married and lives in 
the house with her waited upon us, she was married 
when she was 13 years old, in her 14th year, she is 
now 18 years old and has two children. 

25, Thursday, nothing . 

26, Friday, after dinner Polly and I went away 
up to the Lindsey place, as they call it, after some 
raspberries, but when we got there we found that 
the berries were all gone, so I filled my little tin 

27 



kettle with pusley for greens, which grew in a corn 
field there, we found some turnips too in the same 
field, so I took and pulled up a handful of them, 
and tied some corn leaves round them and brot 
them home, greens are a very scarce article here, 
and I thought it no more than right to help myself 
when so good an opportunity presented. John 
Franklin has done his chopping. 

27, Saturday morning, Father went over to Onon- 
daga and got home about the middle of the after- 
noon, then I took his horse and rode over to Mrs. 
Keed's after some butter, after I got home Polly 
and I went up to pasture with our horses, our peo- 
ple very busy, and I wanted to go to John Frank- 
lin's after a chicken which she said I might have if 
I would come after it, as we had to go right by the 
house to go to pasture, we took our horses to pas- 
ture, and come back as far as John Franklin's, but 
there was nobody at home, however we guess'd that 
John's wife was up to Nathan Franklin's which 
is away beyond there some ways up a great hill so 
we went up there to see, when we got there Na- 
than's wife and John's wife were gone after their 
cows, so we waited there till sun down for them, 
and at length they came, so we went from there 
down to John's, and she caught my chicken for 
me, and so we came home, on the road between 
N. Franklin's and John's in the corn field I pick'd 
an armful of pusley, for greens and carried it as far 
as John's, there I got a basket and carried it home. 

28 



28, Sunday, Mrs. Mc, Polly and I went over 
to Cooper's street to meeting, there were two Meth- 
odist Ministers there who preached, Mr. McCrack- 
en, Joseph and Harold went over too. We came 
from meeting some time before night and when 
we got home we found Normond Leonard and Row- 
land Day at our house, they had come on a visit. 

29, Monday, our visitors returned before noon 
and father went away with them and has not got 
home, to-day we boiFd our pusley for dinner and 
had a very good meal of it, we did not boil it 
before because we had other fish to fry. 

30, Tuesday, we washed in rain water which we 
caught last week, in the afternoon Mrs. Reed 
was over and made Mrs. McCracken and us a visit, 
they drank tea in our room. Harold kill'd a rat- 
tle snake to-day out in the woods. 

31, Wednesday, our people killed another rattle 
snake and bro't it home and we saved the grease 
and gaul. 

Aug. 2, Friday, I went up to Nathan Frank- 
lin's and got a tin kettle full of pusley for greens. 

4, Sunday, I stay'd at home and Mother went to 
Meeting over to Esq. Carpenter's, and they tackeld 
a waggon, and Mr. M'Cracken, Polly, Joseph, Da- 
vid, Mother and Harold rode in the waggon and 
Father rode on horseback, there was a young Minis- 
ter preached upon trial, he wants to be hired, his 
name is Pomroy. 

5, Monday, we wash'd in rain water which we 



caught a few days before, and bak'd, and in the 
afternoon we began to move our little all over the 
river to our new building, we got our things chief- 
ly over, at least those things which we wanted most 
to keep house with, and I went up chamber and 
made up the beds on the floor. Polly came over 
to help me and she slept with me. The building 
is something like our shop, there is two rooms in it, 
and the chimney is right in the middle of the house, 
or is to be, for it is not built yet, the lower floor 
is all in one room, and a joiner's table in one end 
of it, and a joiner at work, we have some shelves 
made to put our crockery &c on, and a trap door 
to go down cellar with, and just one half of our 
chamber floor laid, and that with loose rough 
boards, we have 4 beds down 2 one side of the room 
and 2 the other. My bed I have partitioned off 
with a curtain, we have a place made out a little 
way from the house to hang on a pot and kettle, 
and we do our cooking there. It is very custom- 
ary for people here to keep their fire out doors, 
when they have a fire place, but we feel as proud 
of our house as inconvenient as it is, as ever any 
person did of the most elegant house in the world. 

6, Tuesday, we finished bringing over our things 
and seting them up, and in the afternoon I had 
two visitors from up the creek, viz Sally Linsey and 
Sally Brown, besides Polly M. 

7, Wednesday morning, after I had done up my 
work I went over to Mr. Reed's with Sally Lin- 

30 



sey, Sally Brown (who stay'd at Mr. M'Cracken's) 
and Polly, the girls had an errand and I wanted 
to get some butter, and so we all went together, we 
came home before noon, and Sally L. went home 
with me and dined, and after we had done up our 
work Polly and S. Brown came along, and the girls 
set out for home, we went as far as N. Franklin's 
with them, they were on foot, when we were go- 
ing we stopped at J. Franklin's and she sung us 
a Dutch song, which she promised to do some days 
ago, if we would come up and see her. she is an ex- 
cellent singer and has a good voice. I took my tin 
kettle with me and got some pusley, we went like 
wise to the Clarke place (which is not much out 
of the way), and gather'd some catnip, and sum- 
mer savory, we pealed some bark off from a little 
twig and tied our herbs together, and swung them 
on our backs — Indian like, and bro't my pusley in 
my hand. 

Wednesday towards night there came four men 
to look land, they all eat supper at our house and 
2 of them lodg'd at our house and 2 at Mr. 
M'Cracken I gave up my bed for them and slept on 
a straw bed below. 

8, Thursday morning, I got up very early, and 
we got breakfast for the 4 men besides our 3 men. 
in the afternoon Mother and I undertook to get 
the shavings out of the house, and clean down the 
joiner's table — for Mr. Barton has gone to work 
at the frame, sun two or three hours high Mrs. M'. 

31 



came over to see our new house. I think she al- 
most grudges us our situation, I got up this morn- 
ing with the determination to have a severe nap 
before night but got joeky'd out of it. 

9, Friday, I did not do much all day, only look 
out of the window for there is great works going 
on here. Mr. M'Cracken is building his dam, and 
has a good many hands at work every day, draw- 
ing logs into the river &c. and our men are all at 
work at the frame and calculate to raise on Mon- 
day next, I think if business always goes on as 
brisk and lively here as it does now, we shall soon 
have a city. 

10, Saturday, we washed in ram water for next 
week. 

11, Sunday, . 

12, Monday, in the forenoon we had a good 
many hands at work, and got dinner for nine 
men, in the afternoon our mill was raised, there 
were about 50 hands for raisers, they came a lit- 
tle before noon and did not get thro' till after dark, 
we bak'd cake and bread all the forenoon in our 
bake oven, and bak'd some cake before, we bak'd 
towards a bushel of cake, the neighboring ladies 
came in to see the mill raised, they were Mrs. 
M'Cracken, Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Bently,* Mrs. Hughs, 
John Franklin's wife & Miss Rachel Buck (a lady 



*Mrs. Bently and Hughs live away out in the 
woods a mile or two from here. 

32 



from up the creek) , and Polly, our house is as near 
the mill as our house down there us'd to be near the 
shop. 

13, Tuesday, it rained in the forenoon and cleared 
off about noon, in the afternoon Harold and I 
went up the creek to a meeting or a lecture, it was 
at Mrs. Corey's. Mr. Pomroy preached. 

14, Wednesday, we washed in rain water. 

16, Friday, before noon I went up to John 
Franklin's after a hen and chickens which she said 
she would sell us. for the hen and five chickens 
we gave her two shillings, York money, or one and 
sixpence, lawful. 

18, Sunday, I went over to Cooper Street to a 
Methodist Meeting, we went in our waggon and had 
for company Joseph and Polly M'Cracken and Mr. 
Reed and his wife and child and Harold. Father 
went over on foot. 

19, Monday, we wash'd in rain water. 

20, Tuesday, I iron'd the cloaths in the forenoon, 
in the afternoon I staid at home and Mother went 
over to Mrs. M'Cracken's. Mrs. Geddes, Mrs. El- 
lice and Mrs. Reed were there and they sent over to 
have Mother and I go over. Today we all eat a 
dinner of pork, potatoes and cucumbers without 
any bread. Father went to mill yesterday and ex- 
pected to come home the same day but was hin- 
dered, and we could borrow no flour and we did 
without tho' it was the first time that ever I was 
reduced to the necessity, our three workmen went 

33 



home Sunday in the afternoon and have not re- 
turned. 

Wednesday night our carpenters returned home. 
Father got home Tuesday night. 

September 17, Tuesday, Polly M'Cracken and I 
went over to Mr. Reed's to see Mrs. Reed and Polly 
Frisbie who is Mrs. Reed's sister, she belongs up 
to the Cayuga Lake and is down on a visit, she ap- 
pears to be quite an agreeable and accomplished 
young lady, about 16 or 17 years of age. 

18, Wednesday, Mrs. Reed and Polly Frisbie vis- 
ited at Mr. M'Cracken's, they sent for Mother and 
I over, we could not both go so Mother went and I 
staid at home, she had not been gone long before 
I had visitors come from up the west part of the 
town, they were Miss Polly Harman, Miss Electa 
Washburn, Miss Phila Wood and Miss Sally Lin- 
sey, Miss Harman is teaching a school there, and 
is from Brutus, she was from Suffield in Connecti- 
cut about 4 years ago, I had formed some acquaint- 
ance with her by seeing her at meeting &c. and ob- 
tained the promise of a visit from her. she at 
length came and bro't 2 young ladies who I had 
never seen before and Sally Linsey for a guide for 
she has been here before. However I sent for 
Mother home, and sent to have Polly M. and Polly 
Frisbie come over, Mother came pretty soon but 
the two Pollys did not come till after they had 
drank tea which was pretty early, then they came 
over and we had a collection of six or seven as ac- 

34 



THE ANCESTRY OF 



Elder John White, from England, 1632. 

J 



John Coit. _ Mary 



Capt. Nathaniel White. _ Elizabeth Hugh _ Martha Thomas Cook 



b. about 1629. 
d. Aug. 27, 1711. 



Mould. 



Coit. d. Dec, 169; 



Ensign Daniel White. _ Susannah Mould. Thomas _ Sarah ]V 



b. Feb. 23, 1662. 
d. Dec. 18, 1739. 



b. April 2, 1663. 
d. Sept. 7, 1754. 



Cook. 



d. July, 



I I 

Daniel White, b. Dec. 8, = Alice Cook, b. June 3, 
1683, d. Jan. 10, 1758. | 1681, d. July 26, 1762. 

I 



Deacon Jonathan White, b. Aug. 22, 1711,_Tryphena Ely, b. April 7, 
d. Oct. 12, 1805. | d. Dec. 30, 1755. 



I I 

Joseph White, b. Dec. 24, 1749, d. Dec. 21, 1830. _. Sarah Leonarc 

I 

Tryphena Ely White, b. March 25, 1784, d. Jan. 27, 1816. 



rPHENA ELY WHITE 






;rs, d. Jan. 2, 1676. 




. . Nathaniel Ely. _ 
d. Dec. 25, 1675. 


.Martha, Robert, 
d. Oct. Day. " 
23, 1688. 


_Editha Reise_ 
Stebbins. Bedortha. 


_ Blanch 
Lewis. 


1 1 
Samuel Ely. _Mary Day, 
d. March 19, 1692. 1 b., 1641. 

1 


Joseph _Lydia 
Bedortha. 1 

1 



I I 

Samuel Ely, b. May 9, = Sarah Bedortha, b. Oct. 18, 
668, d. Aug. 23, 1732. | 1681, d. May 8, 1766. 



Deacon John Leonard. _ Ann 



flay 8, 1752, d. Nov. 27, 1788. 



GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF ANCESTRY 
OF TEYPHENA ELY WHITE. 



complished young Ladies (with one or two excep- 
tions) as any in W. Springfield almost, or as agree- 
able I may safely say. Miss Wood's parents and 
family moved from down the country last May, 
just about the time that we did. 

19, Thursday, Mrs. M'Cracken and Mother went 
to Esq. Geddes to visiting, Mrs. Jerome and Mrs. 
Geddes sent for them. 

20, Friday, I received a visit from Polly Fris- 
bie and P. M'Cracken, and after supper we went 
down to the river and got into a boat with Har- 
old — and saiPd away up the creek a good ways we 
had a very pleasant ride only the boat leaked a 
little and wet our feet. Polly F. expects to return 
to the lake to morrow. 



35 



OTHER DOCUMENTS 




C o 



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CD 

b£ 

O 



OTHEK DOCUMENTS 

Thinking a portion of the funeral sermon writ- 
ten by the Kev. Joseph Lathrop, D.D., of the First 
Congregational Church of West Springfield, and de- 
livered at West Springfield, in October, 1805, upon 
the death of Tryphena's grandfather, Jonathan 
White, may be of interest it is given here : 

"The death of Deacon White may properly bring 
to our recollection the lives and deaths of those 
who in this church have sustained the same office 
before him, and with him. On a review we find 
that the Deacons here have been remarkable for 
longevity, as well as reputable for their pious char- 
acter. 

"This church was incorporated about 107 years 
ago. The first Deacons were John Barber and Eb- 
enezer Parsons. The former died in 1712, aged 
70 years; the latter in 1752, aged 84 years. Joseph 
Ely, who was chosen after the death of Deacon 
Barber, died in 1755, aged 92 years. The next 

39 



Deacon was John Ely, who died in 1758, aged 80 
years. The next who was elected to this office was 
Samuel Day. He, in about five years after his 
election, removed to another place, where he ex- 
ercised the Deacon's office. He afterward returned 
hither, and died in 1773, aged 75 years. Joseph 
Merrick was elected to this office about the year 
1750, and continued in it until 1792, when he 
died at the age of 88 years, then the oldest person in 
the parish. In the year 1759 Nathaniel Atchison 
and Jonathan White, the brother now deceased, 
were chosen to the office, and having exercised it 
until 1782 they excused themselves from farther 
services on account of their age,- and retired with 
the cordial thanks of the church for their past 
fidelity and diligence. Deacon Atchison died in 
1801, aged 92 years. Deacon White has now de- 
parted, having passed his 94th year. In 1782 Pe- 
latiah Bliss, and in 1783, John Bagg, were elected, 
of whom the latter is now about 75, the former 57. 
Joseph Bedortha, who was first a Deacon in the 
south church, but now a member and Deacon of 
this church, has arrived to the 76th year of his 
age. May those who now live surpass the age of the 
oldest, and the virtues of the best of their prede- 
cessors. 

"This church ought to review with gratitude the 
goodness of Providence in prolonging the lives of 
good and useful men, and in raising up suitable 
instruments for the preservation and promotion of 

40 



peace and order, truth and religion in this Christian 
Society. 

"It becomes us who are advanced in life, and are 
passing off from this stage, to employ whatever 
ability and influence we possess for the advancement 
of religion, and for the transmission of it to those 
who shall come after us. Let us be sound in faith, 
charity and patience, and teach the young to be 
sober-minded. And you, who are young, I now 
exhort to remember those who have lived before you 
and who have counseled and instructed you; and 
those who may now be over you in the Lord, whose 
faith follow, considering the end of their conver- 
sation. And I repeat to you the exhortation, which 
I have often given you already, to come and join 
yourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant. The 
members of this church, you see, are passing away ; 
come forward and take a place among them who re- 
main. 

"Hereafter I shall not talk much with you. I 
am soon to follow my aged brethren. There is not 
left in this church a single male who was a member 
of it at the time when my relation to it commenced. 
My relation will soon cease. I wish for the atten- 
tion and friendship of my people, while I am with 
them. The small remains of my life and strength 
shall be devoted to their service. It is my wish 
and prayer that from my poor labors some benefit 
may accrue to them. 

"May we all be so happy as to meet together in 

41 



the world of glory and receive the approbation of 
Him who will judge us according to our works. 
To Him be glory forever. Amen/' 



42 




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On November 28, 1813, Tryphena Ely White 
was married to Frederick Kellogg of Brutus, Cay- 
uga County, New York. She died January 27, 
1816, leaving one son, Charles White, a babe of 
eight months. Harold thus writes to his brother 
Elijah: 

Brutus Jan. 25, Thursday Noon. 

Sir : I have been to Mr. Kellogg's, but find Try- 
phena to be no better. She is declining fast and 
cannot survive long — she knew me — looked at me a 
few seconds and forgot it. * * * * * Mr. 
Kellogg is of an opinion that it is not best to come 
up till you hear more direct. Somebody will be 
down from here. Amia is at Mr. Kellogg's. 

Harold White. 

Amia Healey was the sister of Tryphena, Elijah 
and Harold. It was Marietta Morley, born at Feed- 
ing Hills, Mass., the wife of Harold, later married 
to his cousin, Jonathan, the son of Aaron, who 
preserved for the babe of eight months his moth- 
ers Journal. 



43 



Contract between David McCraken and Joseph 
White. Dated Camillus, October 11, 1804: 

Know all men by these presents that I, David 
McCraken, of the Town of Camillus, County of 
Onondaga and State of New York, am held and 
firmly bound unto Joseph White of West Spring- 
field, County of Hampshire and State of Massa- 
chusetts, in the sum of two thousand dollars to be 
paid to the said Joseph or to his certain attorney 
heirs, executors, administrators or assigns to the 
Which payment well and truly to be made. I bind 
myself, my heirs, executors and administrators, and 
every of them firmly by these presents. 

Sealed with my seal. Dated at Camillus affore- 
said the eleventh day of October, in the year of our 
Lord one thousand eight hundred and four. 

The condition of this obligation is such That 
Whereas the above named David McCrakin hath 
on the day of the date hereof agreed to sell to the 
said Joseph White part of a certain lot of land 
known and distinguished as Lot number sixty- 
eight in the Township of Camillus, County of On- 
ondaga and State of New York, bounded as fol- 
lows, viz. : Northwardly on the Lot number fifty- 
six west on the Lot number Sixty-seven, both in 
said Camillus, and Southeasterly on the Nine Mile 
Creek, being a triangular piece of land, excepting 
one square acre adjoining the said Nine Mile Creek 
for a log yard in such place as will not incommode 
the said Joseph White to have a log yard 

44 



convenient to the saw mill there, and the 
said David MeCraken hath also agreed with 
the said Joseph White that he will on or be- 
fore the expiration of one year from the date of 
these presents build and finish a good and suffi- 
cient Dam across the Nine Mile Creek in a suit- 
able place for mills and put the said Joseph White 
in quiet and full possession of the privilege of 
drawing sufficient water to work a fulling mill at all 
times and a saw mill one half of the time forever, 
for and in consideration of the said Joseph White's 
building a saw mill and delivering to said David 
MeCraken one half of it ; and a sum to the amount 
of eight dollars for each one acre contained in the 
above described piece of land, to the said David 
MeCraken paid and secured to be paid to the sat- 
isfaction of the said David . If the said 

David MeCraken therefore shall and will convey 
or cause to be conveyed by a good and sufficient 
warranty Deed on or before the first day of June 
in the year eighteen hundred and seven, unto the 
said Joseph White his heirs and assigns the above 
described land and erect a good and sufficient dam 
for the use of sd. mills; and deliver to the said 
Joseph White quiet and full possession of the right 
to draw water sufficient to work a fulling mill at 
all times and a saw mill one half the time forever 
which being done to the satisfaction of the said 
Joseph or his counsel learned in law and at the 
proper cost of the said David, then this bond obliga- 

45 



tory shall be void, otherwise to remain in full force 
and virtue, not only for the value of the land at 
this present time but for the value to which it 
may rise either by improvement, mills, buildings 
or any other contingency. David McCraken. (L.S.) 
William Eeed, Witness. 



46 



NOV 19 1904 



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